Holistic, integrative and evidence-based treatment for individuals, families and couples.

Life doesn’t need to be THIS hard.

When you look in the mirror what do you see?

Do you love the person staring back at you? Are you proud of who they are?

On paper, you have it “all”…..you’re doing fairly well in life – good job, friends and family who care about you. To the outside world, you seem to have it all together. But looks can be so deceiving….internally it’s turmoil, anxiety, self-criticism, low self-esteem, guilt, shame and/or emptiness. You don’t love the person looking back at you. And that just makes you feel worse….maybe there’s guilt that you have all these wonderful things and you “should” be happy. Or maybe you’re feeling conflicted because you’re not showing up as your true self.

Are you ready to be your true authentic self?

Not being true to who we are can be exhausting, and limiting, and it can prevent us from reaching our true potential. Our work together will help the real you to come out. You can live a life that feels free….getting rid of the shackles of a life informed by the accumulation of your wounds, or guided by the expectations of others and who you thought you should be. What does being authentic look like?

“Knowing yourself + owning yourself + being yourself = leading an authentic life”

Knowing yourself entails being aware of your personality, values and needs. You know what you want and what you don’t want;

Owning yourself means that you can trust yourself, what your opinions are, what you think, your choices and how you behave;

Being yourself entails that you behave in accordance with your personality, values and needs. You don’t let yourself get influenced by the expectations of others.

Together, these elements lead to you living an authentic life, where who you are, what you stand for and how you behave are aligned.

Be fearlessly authentic.

Bravely be you.

Reach out to learn how!

You Want to Be Your Truest Self but….You’re Just Stuck

Almost all of us can remember a time when we felt trapped, uncertain of where to go. Like we were just going through the motions, and nothing was changing no matter how hard we tried. You may be struggling with depression, anxiety, or trying to navigate life after experiencing trauma. Or, you may be in a situation where you feel misaligned or disconnected with your values and goals. You’re feeling like you’ve outgrown a situation (or someone) or you’re too overwhelmed to even take steps to make a change. Whatever your unique circumstance, recognizing the cause behind your feelings is essential for getting unstuck. You want a new perspective to get some traction on what you want your life to be. By helping you identify what is most important to you, you can take actions to reach your life values. Luckily, you don’t have to go through this journey alone.

Sometimes all you need is someone to show you that the answers have been in you all along. To have support in decoding and unlocking your fullest potential. .

Are you ready?

You’re Ready to Silence that Inner Critic (and the outside noise)

How can you be your authentic self when you don’t trust yourself? Your mind is stuck in a never-ending loop of self-doubt and self-criticism. That inner voice, constantly questioning your worth and abilities, can be relentless. Therapy can help you to manage negative self-talk, improve your self-esteem and change your perception of yourself. Imagine a life in which you are kinder to yourself and trust in who you are and your capabilities….A life in which you truly love yourself.

Societal expectations are damning. You do and do and it’s never quite enough. The narrative drilled into our subconscious is that we must work — and only then can we relax and enjoy ourselves. By the time we earn society’s unspoken permission to have fun, we are 65, retired, and exhausted from life. You’re ready to finally live life YOUR way. Book a call now to discuss the next steps of what that might look like.

You’re ready to put your best foot forward as you navigate big life transitions

Transitions are a normal part of life. Doesn’t mean they don’t come with anxiety or uncertainty about what to do/what they mean for you. Are you navigating any of the following transitions that I specialize in: parenting (new parents, having more children, child with special needs), health issues (recent diagnosis or difficulties with your physical health), entering and/or leaving college, starting new career or making a career change and relationship changes (breakups & engagement/marriage).

Seeking support for your mental health means you acknowledge you’re going through a challenging time with some unknowns and want to navigate it the best you can.

You’re ready to heal those emotional wounds

It’s time to close that chapter in your life and let the past stay in the past. Often, we ignore our emotional wounds and try to cope with distraction, avoidance, substances, or workaholism. The reality is that our emotional pain is just as valid and real as our physical pain and processed similarly in our brains. Why is that important?

Well, you wouldn’t put a band-aid on a broken leg. Ignoring these wounds hinder personal growth and connecting with others. Ignoring those wounds just makes them worse…and unfortunately, they can show themselves in ways you didn’t expect….in your relationships, via your thoughts & constant worries, poor health (physical & mental), failures at work, and your overall outlook on life. In therapy you’ll gain awareness of the impact wounds (known & unknown) have had on your life. Then work together to heal those wounds through different tools and strategies as well as the power of our therapeutic relationship. To learn more about how your childhood wounds can impact your life, click here. If you are ready to dive deep, reevaluate all the stories you’ve spent your life telling yourself, and reclaim control over your life, book a call with me today.

You’re ready for MORE

Starting therapy means you’ve decided that you want MORE. More out of your life, your relationships, more moments of peace, fulfillment & happiness. You want to get out of survival mode….out of going through the motions….out of just pushing through and finally thrive. There’s NOTHING wrong with that. You can be grateful for what you have and still want more…you can be thankful for your success and still want more.

**Never feel guilty for wanting more out of life than average….**

The unfortunate truth is that most people are too scared, too overwhelmed or too comfortable to take the actionable steps to get what they desire. To put in the work and effort to get that change. So instead they just suffer….complain, wallow, say things like “this always happens to me,” “Why bother trying…whatever happens happens”….the Eeyore’s of the world (we all know and love one). But you’re not the Eeyore type (or no longer want to be)….and things don’t just happen to you. You make things happen in your life. And you’re ready to make that change.

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.

You understand that therapy is not a “magic cure.” The goal isn’t to take away all of your problems or eliminate all negative feelings. We can’t change the fact that sometimes life just does life things. There will always be ups and downs. The goal is for you to tap into your inner strength and use those strengths to nourish your weaknesses, allowing you to flourish and be your best self. The goal is for you to feel capable no matter what’s thrown your way. The goal is to help you feel empowered. Fulfilled. Content. At peace.

We can get there….together.

Hello there. I’m Dr. Shaneze Gayle Smith, Ph.D.

As a holistic and integrative clinician with over a decade of clinical experience, I use the power of our therapeutic relationship as well as evidence-based strategies from neuroscience, mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral practices & lifestyle medicine to foster growth and inner healing. Because no two people respond in the same way to stressful or other life experiences, I have made it my mission to pursue training in different modalities so that I can tailor treatment to fit your particular needs. You are unique. Your challenges are unique. Your treatment should be too. Read about my treatment approach here.

I specialize in anxiety, PTSD/trauma, ADHD and parenting concerns. Not only have I received extensive clinical training in these issues but they are also difficulties that I’ve navigated personally. I think it’s powerful to know that someone was once in your shoes, and they made it out on the other side. As fleeting as cherry blossoms can be, so is life. My hope is to help you live yours to the absolute fullest; a life with peace, purpose and meaningful connections with others and most importantly YOURSELF. Your therapeutic journey will be one of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. Learn more about me here. If you want to see whether we’re a good fit, reach out today for a consult call.

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What Clients Have Said

Dr. Shaneze was such a gift to us and our son. When we came to her, we were all very stressed out by what felt like the impossible demands of middle school. We were butting heads with our child, compounding the challenges he was already struggling to cope with. Within a few months of working with Dr. Shaneze, we were experiencing far less friction at home, and our son was coping much better with school demands. Most significantly, our son became much more warm and open to us, knowing we had become a team. Dr. Shaneze has a very easy way of communicating, and her advice always felt straightforward and simple to follow. She is deeply understanding and practical and has a very natural way of communicating what were routinely spot-on insights.
“I started working with Dr. Gayle Smith due to anxiety and panic attacks that became debilitating. I was not able to perform my best at work and struggled with navigating social situations. Since working with Dr. Gayle Smith, I have felt a lot better. I'm pretty optimistic because I feel a lot less anxiety about things than I did even a few months ago and I feel like I have some strategies to cope with anxiety when I have it. I have not had a panic attacks in months and can’t thank Dr. Gayle Smith enough.”
“Our daughter started working with Dr. Smith freshman year due to anxiety. She attends a competitive school and her perfectionism was getting the best of her. We can see the difference in our daughter this semester. We are humbled by Dr. Smith’s support of our little girl. We are fortunate! Thank you so much for all your efforts. Wouldn't have been possible without it.”
“Dr. Smith helped our teenage son with anxiety. She provided us with insight into his struggles and how we can support him. Our son continues to do well since treatment has ended. We can’t thank her enough for all she’s done for him.”
“Our teenage son has made lots of progress through Dr. Smith’s counseling. He now has a variety of strategies to help address his issues with anxiety, OCD and autism. We also learned strategies that we can use to help him. We are grateful for the support she has provided our family.”
I would definitely recommend Dr. Gayle Smith and this form therapy to another teen. It really helped me detach from my thoughts. It helped me realize that the rituals I had to do was unnecessary, which helped me move on. She did a great job helping me work through all my fears and worries. Thank you for your help.

Client + Therapist Fit Matters

Start your journey to healing and empowerment today with a free 15 min consult call.